Violence stirs up political storm in B’luru
RIOTS Upset over FB post by Cong MLA’S kin, mob damages vehicles, two police stations, breaks an ATM Armed with machetes, swords and sticks, mob went on the rampage for about five hours
nBENGALURU: A political row erupted after three people were killed in violence over a controversial post in Bengaluru on Tuesday night even as sparks flew thick and fast.
Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president and chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s son, Vijayendra, said in a tweet that the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political arm, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), had a role in the violence. He said the groups flourished in the Congress rule.
Panchayati raj and rural development minister KS Eshwarappa struck a similar note, saying that the Congress was supporting fundamentalist elements. “I am not blaming the entire community but the KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) President seems to be supporting fundamentalist elements in that community who are bent on using violence.”
KPCC president DK Shivakumar, who visited the house of party legislator Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, blamed the BJP. “While we condemn the violence, the person who posted the derogatory comment is a BJP supporter,” he said. Murthy’s house was burnt down by the mob.
The account that was used to make the controversial post belonged to Naveen, the nephew of his Murthy. Naveen said his account was hacked into.
Shivakumar displayed what he said were posts by Naveen expressing support to the BJP. “Instead of pouring water on the fires lit, the BJP is further instigating the whole thing.” The KPCC president also claimed that prompt police action against the accused could have prevented the violence. Leader of opposition Siddaramiah, too, condemned the violence and appealed to both Hindus and Muslim communities to maintain calm. BJP parliamentarian Pratap Simha hit back at the Congress leader. “You withdrew 175 criminal cases which were there against 1,600 SDPI and KFD (Karnataka Forum for Dignity) extremists in 2015 when YOU WERE in power. Even now, why are you hesitating to condemn extremist elements in the Muslim community?” Another BJP MP Tejasvi Surya demanded that the state follow the Uttar Pradesh model and recover the cost of damage from the perpetrators.
JD (S) leader and former CM H D Kumaraswamy said in a series of tweets that no religion or community was above the law. “Anyone who doesn’t respect the law of land should be punished,” he said. At the same time, Kumaraswamy called for action against whoever made the derogatory post. Even as Vijayendra, the CM’S son, accused the Congress of nurturing extremist organizations, the BJP state general secretary, Ashwath Narayan, said the violence was planned and wellorganized. He, too, demanded that the perpetrators should be made to pay for the damages. “The CCTV cameras in the vicinity of the police station have been damaged. This is ample proof that this was pre-meditated violence,” Ashwathnarayan added.
Pulakeshi Nagar Congress MLA’S nephew Naveen allegedly responds to a Hinduphobic post on FB with an alleged derogatory post on prophet of a community.
Tuesday was also Janamashtami a religious festival of the majority community
The alleged derogatory post on prophet by now goes viral with some self-styled minority community leaders asking members to assemble near the DJ Halli police station to protest. Appeal goes viral on social media
A mob starts slowly swelling with some community members also assembling in front of the MLA’S house in Kaval Byrasandra just a few kms away from the DJ Halli police station
Community members also assemble in the nearby KG Halli police station. Some Facebook posts appeal for greater number of people to come so that those who have insulted ‘Nabi’ (prophet) and Pygambar can be taught a lesson
Slogans of “Nara-e-takbir, Allahu Akbar” start rending in the air as increasingly the assembled people get more agitated.
vandalizing vehicles parked in the police stations and nearby. Simultaneously mob attacks and petrol bombs are hurled at the MLA’S house which subsequently is partly burnt
Mob runs wild burning anything in sight and attacking those opposing with lathis, stones, bricks, machetes. Some of that is captured in CCTV footage before the cameras are destroyed
Mobs barge into the police stations, assault police personnel. Cops call seniors and plead to be allowed to defend themselves (a clip of the wireless chat on this has been heard by HT)
Unable to coax the mob back verbally either by pleading or threats, cops try to lathicharge even as they call for backup forces
Cops open fire even as additional forces are rushed from other stations across the city Home minister Basvaraj Bommai personally reviews the situation. Bangalore city commissioner Kamal Pant rushes in with additional forces
It has taken the cops nearly three and half hours to fully restore peace, about 100 people are initially detained (the number goes up later in the day). Part of the difficulty is also because the areas have very narrow roads and are dotted with slums. So manevuring vehicles with large number of personnel become a challenge but police eventually restore an uneasy peace.